As promised, attached are the notes from the Virtual Reference Discussion Groups presentation "Now You’re Talking: Tools to Utilize for Virtual Services." We appreciate everyone that participated. Updates on future discussions/ programs will be posted on this ALA Connect page.

Virtual Reference Discussion Forum at ALA MidwinterThe VRDG invites you to attend the Virtual Reference Discussion Forum, featuring Courtney Greene, from Indiana University-Bloomington. We welcome questions and discussion points, and invite you to submit those via commenting on this post. Courtney will attempt to answer as many as possible. We look forward to seeing you there!2012 ALA Midwinter Meeting, Dallas, TX4:00pm-5:30pm, Saturday, January 21st, 2012

Virtual Reference Discussion Forum at ALA MidwinterThe VRDG invites you to attend the Virtual Reference Discussion Forum, featuring Courtney Greene, from Indiana University-Bloomington. We welcome questions and discussion points, and invite you to submit those via commenting on this post. Courtney will attempt to answer as many as possible. We look forward to seeing you there!2012 ALA Midwinter Meeting, Dallas, TX4:00pm-5:30pm, Saturday, January 21st, 2012 Location Dallas Convention Center, Rm. A304 (interactive map, pdf map - see page 11)Discussion topic: "UX + VR FTW"Courtney Greene, Head of Digital User Experience (DUX) at Indiana University Bloomington Libraries, will begin the forum by discussing what happens when user experience meets virtual reference. She will argue that libraries are in the user experience business - that our users' needs are at the forefront of everything we do. Courtney will describe a recent reorganization that has led DUX to take on a more active role in supporting and managing virtual reference tools at IUB Libraries - IM via LibraryH3lp, text reference via Google Voice, and a newly re-designed mobile site. She will share how she & her team have worked to balance the advantages of centralized management of VR services (for over a dozen service points across campus!) with the importance of staying closely connected to librarians in the field, on the ground and at the desk. She will also discuss how the mobile redesign increased access to research apps and how users have responded to the changes. After Courtney's presentation we will discuss her ideas and other emerging technologies for virtual reference.

Megan Lotts and Stephanie Graves from Southern Illinois University Carbondale will kick off the the Virtual Reference Discussion Forum at ALA Annual. They are pioneering efforts to use iPads to unchain librarians from the reference desk and make roving librarians truly mobile. SIUC brought iPads into Reference in Fall 2010 and has begun using them to expand their service points to anywhere a librarian can roam, providing virtual reference and a fully-connected librarian presence in the stacks. Come and hear about the victories and pitfalls of their implementation--and where they are going next!

After Megan and Stephanie’s presentation, we will discuss their ideas and other virtual reference topics. If there are any topics you are particularly interested in discussing at the forum, please share by commenting to this post or by commenting to the Facebook event page for the forum.

Ellen Filgo, Baylor Libraries' E-Learning Librarian will kick off the discussion for the Virtual Reference Discussion Group at MidWinter. Ellen has become a class Twitter-based reference librarian, joining classes at Baylor University real-time via Twitter to provide links, resources and answers to questions. By having a librarian virtually embedded in class, the students are able to draw on a wider web of information both during and after class discussion. Ellen will highlight her experiences, review best practices and share ideas for additional applications.

After Ellen's presentation, we will discuss her ideas and other virtual reference topics. If there are any topics you are particularly interested in discussing at MidWinter, please share by commenting to this post.

What are the best articles or blog posts or presentations you seen, heard, read, browsed lately that talk about any aspect or form of digital reference (chat reference, email reference, SMS reference, IM, reference, Q&A reference services, etc.)

I realize that there is a great bibliography of digital reference already. I'm looking for personal recommendations here, not just lists.